When the Russian invasion forced hundreds of businesses to leave their homes in 2022, Kosiv also became a refuge for many. It was then that the carpet manufacturer Vandra Rugs moved to the city from Nova Kakhovka
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Vandra Rugs: Swedish weaving traditions in the Carpathians
Thanks to Vandra Rugs, the Carpathian Culture Center, which was then undergoing reconstruction, was given a new lease on life: looms began working again in the center's spacious halls, the voices of craftsmen could be heard, and the smell of fresh textiles filled the air.
Vandra Rugs has deep roots in Sweden. The brand was founded in 2005 on the basis of the textile company EMTE Textil, which collaborated with the famous design house Svenskt Tenn back in the 1940s
At that time, a whole network of weavers throughout Sweden worked on fabrics and carpets, and their products were highly valued by architects and designers. Later, the company was headed by Barbro Tessing, who expanded the range and attracted well-known artists to work with her
In the recent history of Vandra Rugs, a key step was the transfer of production to Ukraine in 2005. Initially, the collection consisted mainly of cotton rugs, but later it was supplemented with wool rugs, which opened up opportunities for broader design and collaboration with various artists. In 2007, the brand's weaving workshop was established in southern Ukraine, but in 2022, due to the Russian invasion, it was forced to evacuate to the Carpathians
The company is currently actively collaborating with the Kosiv Institute of Applied and Decorative Arts: students are completing internships in the workshops and planning to develop joint projects in the future
